website/docs/concepts/configuration/container-command-args.md

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title: Container Command and Arguments
---
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In the configuration file for a Container, you can set the `command` and `args`
fields to override the default Entrypoint and Cmd of the the Container's image.
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## Container entry points and arguments
The configuration file for a Container has an `image` field that specifies
the Docker image to be run in the Container. A Docker image has metadata that includes
a default Entrypoint and a default Cmd.
When Kubernetes starts a Container, it runs the image's default Entrypoint and
passes the image's default Cmd as arguments.
If you want override the image's default Entrypoint and Cmd, you can use the
`command` and `args` fields in the Container's configuration.
* The `command` field specifies the actual command run by the Container.
* The `args` field specifies the arguments passed to the command.
This table summarizes the field names used by Docker and Kubernetes.
| Description | Docker field name | Kubernetes field name |
|----------------------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
| The command run by the container | Entrypoint | command |
| The arguments passed to the command | Cmd | args |
Here's an example of a configuration file for a Pod that has one Container.
{% include code.html language="yaml" file="commands.yaml" ghlink="/docs/concepts/configuration/commands.yaml" %}
When Kubernetes starts the Container, it runs this command:
```shell
printenv HOSTNAME KUBERNETES_PORT
```
When you override the default Entrypoint and Cmd, these rules apply:
* If you do not supply `command` or `args` for a Container, the defaults defined
in the Docker image are used.
* If you supply a `command` but no `args` for a Container, only the supplied
`command` is used. The default EntryPoint and the default Cmd defined in the Docker
image are ignored.
* If you supply only `args` for a Container, the default Entrypoint defined in
the Docker image is run with the `args` that you supplied.
* If you supply a `command` and `args`, the default Entrypoint and the default
Cmd defined in the Docker image are ignored. Your `command` is run with your
`args`.
Here are some examples:
| Image Entrypoint | Image Cmd | Container command | Container args | Command run |
|--------------------|------------------|---------------------|--------------------|------------------|
| `[/ep-1]` | `[foo bar]` | <not set> | <not set> | `[ep-1 foo bar]` |
| `[/ep-1]` | `[foo bar]` | `[/ep-2]` | <not set> | `[ep-2]` |
| `[/ep-1]` | `[foo bar]` | <not set> | `[zoo boo]` | `[ep-1 zoo boo]` |
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* [Defining a Command and Arguments for a Container](/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/define-command-argument-container/)
* [Running Commands in a Container with kubectl exec](/docs/user-guide/getting-into-containers/)
* [Container](/docs/api-reference/v1/definitions/#_v1_container)
* [Docker Entrypoint field](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/)
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